Question:
Assalamu Alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu,
My question is whether, according to Shariah, any of the wife’s own blood relatives (Muslim and non-Muslim) have the irrefutable right to be present when she is giving birth, either in the room for the actual birth or at the hospital during the days immediately before and after the birth? If the presence of a particular relative is causing the wife to have psychological stress and she fears this might affect her health during this critical time, does she have the right to politely defer that relative’s visit until after the recovery period? If the relative doesn’t insist on being present, is there any sin on the wife’s part in making agreement that the visit be deferred until after the recovery? Thank you,
Salam
Answer:
wa `alaykum salam,
It is not a Shari`ah issue to be present or not at the birth, but more of a social issue. The Shari`ah issue is that the one giving birth be in a situation that is relaxed that she has her privacy when she is giving birth. There is no requirement for people to visit before and after rather doing so is based on the relationship. The Shari`ah issue is that you visit someone when they are sick to congratulate them on the birth or shortly before the birth. But being present inside the room during delivery is not appropriate. What is important is to let the patient relax.
Hajjah Naziha
